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Wednesday, June 28, 2006

Is Stroger off the ticket?

More than three months after suffering a serious stroke — and winning renomination in spite of it — Cook County Board President John Stroger is expected to withdraw this week and ask Democratic ward bosses to replace him on the November ticket with his son.

Ald. William Beavers (7th), self-declared spokesman for the Stroger family, has already started lining up votes for Ald. Todd Stroger (8th) and appears to be well on his way to securing a majority of the weighted votes of 80 ward and township committeemen to place the younger Stroger on the ballot, sources said.

The complex political deal calls for Beavers, powerful chairman of the City Council’s Budget Committee, to replace John Stroger as county commissioner and for Todd Stroger to replace his father as president of the board, where he would have no vote. Until the election, John Stroger would remain in office. If Beavers wins the seat, he would resign as 7th Ward alderman on the condition that Mayor Daley appoint his daughter to replace him.

From the Sun-Times article this is what I saw striking. Alderman Anthony Beale is considering supporting Ald. Todd Stroger for county board president. And this is what he had to say on this...

"I need to hear from Todd about what his wishes are and what his father's wishes are. If the president says he would like to see his son as his successor and [he believes] he's qualified, I think we have to support that," Beale said.

"The African-American community came out overwhelmingly in support of John Stroger. He was elected to continue to lead this county. If he feels that someone is strong enough to succeed him in that position, we have to honor that. [House Speaker] Mike Madigan anointed his daughter. [Former Cook County Assessor] Tom Hynes anointed his son. [former Rep.] Bill Lipinski anointed his son. So why can't John Stroger anoint his son?"

That's the oddball thing. At least Madigan and Hynes stood in primaries and so be it with their father's help. This I see nothing wrong with. But changing the game after the primary even in this unusual circumstance of an illness is troubling.

Either way if Ald. Todd Stroger is to be appointed county board president the deal breaker is that Ald. Beavers will take over John Stroger's county board commissioner seat while Stroger will have no vote at the board. I guess this is as viable a deal. The question here will be if there will be backlash against this type of nepotism.